Made a couple sets in the hardwoods, lots of dry leaves. Bedding the trap, covering with dirt, and leaving like that seems too obvious. Covering with leaves to blend and match surroundings seems like leaves could foul the trap and allow for pullout.
Any suggestions on how to deal with leaves with coyote sets in the woods? Working with MB550s.
Thanks

Can use scissors and cut the leaves up so they don’t pose as big of a chance of fouling the trap. I do that with sage brush and dry grass, seems to work ok.

I put a ripped up handful of leaves in my sifter and rub them back and forth. This covers it with small shredded parts of leaves.

I've also put leaves on as covering and never had a problem with them fouling up the trap and causing a pull out. Just put one broken up layer of leaves

.. rake yourself out a big ol area then make the set in the middle

Love,

Savell

I trap a lot in woods , smart coyote will not work a bare spot in woods here pup will. I blend with leaves with scissors or sifter never had one pullout . Use just enough to make trap disappear

Most all animals that live in the deep woods will scratch a bare spot looking for food, so a bald spot is pretty common and natural. Might even draw attention to the set.

Make sets with and without leaves. Bare dirt in areas with lots of leaf cover stands out and draws attention, but you might get that one animal that is being extremly cautious. I do both ways and hammer critters, and one way isn't more productive than the other on my line.

Last year I made two sets on a Y intersection on a ATV trail in hardwoods and swamps. The intersection was covered in a layer of leaves. I blended the two sets to the point of it was impossible for me to see them driving by. After about a week I caught two bobcats in one day. I reset the same sets, this time they weren't quite blended anymore and the catch circle noticable. Next morning two bobcats. I reset and this time both sets was a big mess, next morning two bobcats. The sets were totally blownout, I reset, next morning a coyote. By this time the intersection looked like someone got drunk and did donuts for an hour. A couple of days later another coyote. After that nothing for the rest of the season. I ended up with 6 bobcats and 2 yotes from that one intersection. I go by this intersection everyday in October as I have a trail that stars there to get to my deer and hog stand that is one a small island in the swamp. You can still tell it was tore up but it is covered in leaves again, and I found bobcat scat in the middle of it. What am I getting at? Set on well defined trails and sign, make sets with and without leaves, find out what works best for you.

Before anyone loses their mind, the intersection is on the highest ground around there. When the river and bayou comes up everything crosses there moving to the higher ground that is about a 1/2 mile through the woods. One reason I have a deer and hog stand there as you will see all sorts of animals all day long using that area.

THIS. (& Deafcaller too)

Putting sifted dry leaves or grasses over pattern also helps animals from seeing that 'pan dry spot' happening when conditions are right

1st, use a small amount to blend. You are correct, too much leaf covering with cause misses.

I bag leaves on our property and compose. I do save dry leaves for trapping (to blend sets). I usually save a few gallons.




I stuff dried, shredded leaves into a wide mouth Mayonnaise jug. A wide mouth jug fits in my bag and leaves can be easily pulled out to blend set.


Set is in lower right corner-


Just enough to blend, don't over do it-


Trap blended with leaves.
Center, burnt, black wood, trap blended with leaves-


Burnt wood, small hole with lure, trap blended with leaves-